


Something To Be Taken Away

by naasad



Series: Boy's Best Friend [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Christmas Presents, Dick Grayson is Literal Sunshine, Gen, Grumpy Murder Baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 16:44:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13528398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naasad/pseuds/naasad
Summary: Damian's first Christmas at the penthouseORTitus is a gift from Dick while Bruce is still lost in the timestream.





	Something To Be Taken Away

Damian woke as soon as the door opened, but he kept still, kept his breathing deep.

"Dami, wake up! It's Christmas!"

Grayson. Damian groaned and rolled over. "I don't celebrate Christmas."

"So you don't want your present?"

Gifts. Gifts were bad. Gifts were simply punishments for later. "No."

"Man, that's too bad, huh? It's not like I can exactly return him."

Damian frowned and rolled onto his back only to be attacked by a giant dog. He reached for his knife, only to realize that... it wasn't actually attacking him? It was... licking him? "What the hell, Grayson?"

Dick laughed and sat next to him on the bed. "Every boy needs a dog. Man's best friend and all that."

Damian glared at him.

Grayson sighed. "Fine, if you don't want him as a pet, then you'll be responsible for training him to be the next Bathound. You can train him to do anything you want except kill, and I want to see how well you can care for him."

Damian ran a hand over the dog's soft fur. "Very well."

"Cool!" Dick grinned. "What's his name?"

Damian made a face. "I have to name him?"

Dick shrugged.

"Wouldn't Bathound be enough?"

"Nope, even Ace had a secret identity, so this guy gets one, too."

Damian stared at the dog for a minute, absentmindedly scratching behind its ears. "Titus."

Dick smiled and bounced on the bed. "I like it! Now, come on! Alfred made pancakes, and then there's more presents to be opened!"

Damian tensed. More gifts. "You can have them."

Dick's face fell. "You don't want the symbols of my affection I lovingly hand-picked just for you?"

Damian's heart leapt to his throat. Would the punishment be worse if he didn't accept the gifts? He was skilled enough at not getting attached, he'd had the practice, but Grayson had promised him choices, but.... He swallowed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. Now get out so I can change."

"But, Dami, it's Christmas! Christmas means _pajamas_!"

"Get out, Grayson!"

Dick laughed and fled the room, closing the door behind him.

Damian sighed and turned to the dog, to Titus, and scratched him beneath the chin. "I apologize for him." The dog whined, and Damian swallowed, drew a sharp breath between his teeth as the sound pulled on his heart. "Damn it."


End file.
